James McLeod presently serving the US Army on his third term in Iraq, serves as a Mental Health Advisor for the troops. As the Mental Health Advisor, his position entails helping soldiers deal with stress: job stress, psychological stress and the stress of everyday living. Managing this stress is essential to being deployed in the field.

While soldiers thrive on a certain amount of stress, too much can lead to health problems, causing weakness and breakdowns. His job is an essential one and the troops rely on him for help. So what does a Mental Health Advisor, whom soldiers come to for stress relief, do for his own mind?

This brave soldier has found the time to pursue a college degree: a BS in Culinary Management through the Art Institute Online. McLeod got his associate degree in 1995 from the Art Institute in Atlanta, Georgia and wanted to complete his degree with a Bachelor of Science. The Art Institute Online provided both the flexibility and high-quality learning McLeod needed to pursue his passion in the culinary field, even while being deployed in Iraq.

He began his classes in January 2006 to be more competitive and knowledgeable in his field. McLeod plans on opening a Meals on Wheels program for the poor and sick when he gets back to the states. “Working in health care has taught me a lot about people. One of the big reasons why I want to do this is because I love to help others that are in need. A lot of time the reason why most people die is because there is no one there to feed them. Having a program like this gives me an opportunity to help those that are in need of at least one good meal a day. This has always been a dream of mine. This degree will show that I have the expertise to do this, and that I take my tread very seriously.”

By being deployed in Iraq and studying for his BS at the same time, James has found that “some days are great - others can be hard. For example, I cannot use the scanner or office computer for schoolwork, but I have internet access in my room that I pay for. The other problem is the difference in time zones and last but not least, I could be moving at any time to a different location that might not have internet access.”

When asked what his experience in Iraq is like, McLeod answers, “This is my third trip here, I feel that we are doing the right thing by helping the Iraqi people, and you can never put a time table on help or care. Right now a lot of people cannot understand what we are doing here, but I can. We are giving hope and not turning our back on those that are in need. Last but not least, I’m here because of the people of the United States of America. Duty, Honor, Country, hoo-ha!”

We give many kudos to James, who chose to further his education at such a difficult point in his life. Not only is he selflessly giving his life to protect the people of Iraq and even those in the United States, he is also furthering himself through knowledge and higher education. His future plans to continue helping people are highly commendable, if not amazing and awe-inspiring. Congratulations James, on all you have done for the people of the world!

“Those who serve or have served in the U.S. military have gained significant knowledge and experience in fields like design, critical thinking, technology and management,” said Cynthia Liefeld Ph.D., Vice President of Academic Affairs at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. “Such skills, coupled with industry-specific instruction and individualized job search assistance, can serve as the ideal bridge back into the workforce.”

To help aid that transition, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh has announced a 20 percent tuition grant for U.S. military personnel who are on active duty, in the reserves, or starting classes within one year of an honorable discharge.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online programs are designed for students across the globe, allowing active duty military to begin their studies. Recent technological additions to the online classroom experience - including the launch of AiConnections, a social networking site for the student community, and the establishment of a class environment within Second Life, a 3-D virtual world - further enhance the learning environment and personalized attention online learners seek. Built on more than 85 years of academic excellence, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh has demonstrated strong career placement achievement for its graduates. Here is a motivating statistic: 90.2% of the 2005 Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online program graduates were working in a field related to their program of study within six months of graduation and earning an average starting salary of $33,101.  --SG